"...when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:18)    Years ago I went on a fast, but did not tell my wife, but rather choosing to make it a secret from anyone. I just so happened that a day or two later that she desired on of her favorite quick-meals: bean burritos, extra cheese and no onions. Due to my fast, I ordered nothing. As we drove down the road she asked me the inevitable question, "Would like some of this burrito?" My answer was a simple "No thank you." This was repeated several times until she began to wave said burrito in front of my face, telling me just how marvelous it was. It was at this time that informed her that I was fasting, which caused her to feel quite guilty. Looking back at I can clearly tell you that it was funny then and even funnier now (at least to m...

"Then Moses said to the Lord, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." - (Ex. 4:10, NASB)    As far as biblical folks go, Moses is my favorite, but Moses had a problem. We are not certain what "slow of speech and of tongue" means, possibly that he stuttered or had some other physical malady. What we do know is that this was a major hurdle, at least to Moses. During his original meeting with God, Moses gave several excuses for why God should choose someone else. The final one was his speaking issue. This stands out in most of our minds, for this is where God brings Aaron on board and gives him the task of speaking for Moses, leaving Moses to performing miracles and leading the people.  However, this is not the only time his speech problem is mentioned. Twice in chapter six (6:12, 6:30) we find his struggle mentioned as bein...

" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God".   (Rom. 10:17, NKJV)    Jesus told us that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed in order to cast the mountain into the sea. (see. Matt. 17:20) That's impressive, but was Jesus telling us that the size of our faith does not matter? I do not think so. Jesus was speaking of the power of faith in Himself. Even a small amount of faith in Jesus can do mighty things. But, what if we had a large faith? What might God be able to do? Well, faith is like a muscle, in a sense. The more we exercise our faith in Jesus, the greater our faith becomes. However, there is a danger. We can actually get to the place in our spiritual lives where we  trust in "faith", rather than trusting in Jesus, who is the the object of our faith. Faith in Jesus is always grounded in the Word of God. So, then, the real question becomes, "How can I strengthen my faith in Jesus?"     Paul's subject in ...

*** Today's post is an updated repost from 2014, but was one that was on my heart this morning.  "...This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."      - Genesis 15:4 (NASB)    When God first told Abraham he was going to make him a great "nation", he was 75 years old. Abraham was directly promised a son by God. Not a bad source for a blessing. What Abraham did not know is precisely how the LORD was going to cause this to happen. After some time past, without a child,  he and Sarah (his wife) decided to "help" God by providing a physical means for His promise to arrive. (Gen. 16:1-4) The result was Ishmael's birth, Abraham was not age 86. (Gen. 16:16) Thirteen years later, after the birth of Ishmael, the LORD reaffirmed His covenant to Abraham. One year later, Sarah gave birth to her only child Isaac: She was 90, Abraham was 100. If you do the math, from the time the LORD thirst spo...

"...Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." - (Gen. 6:9, ESV) Wow! What a testimony. Three simple qualities. First, Noah was righteous, meaning that he was in right standing before God. Second, he was blameless in his generation, meaning that he lived right before mankind. However,  that does not necessarily mean that Noah was accepted by those in his generation . Yet here is a man who was spiritually right before both heaven and earth.  How did Noah accomplish this? I believe that he accomplished this because of the third quality mentioned above: "Noah walked with God."  When we walk with God, we are made righteous by God. We cannot make ourselves righteous, only God can do that. And, when we walk with God, we find that we live differently before those in the world. A vibrant and continual walk with God will enable us to live like Noah: one who is known in heaven and earth for devotion to God.  In a day where a g...

   "So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat." - (2 Chronicles 10:15, NASB)    "Thus says the LORD, 'You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.' So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam." - (2 Chronicles 11:4, NASB)     Two verses of Scripture today that point to the same general idea. Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, according to Scripture. However, in his humanity, he acted foolishly by erecting and worshiping idols and "other gods", As a result his kingdom was going to suffer. After he died, his son Rehoboam became king. And, due to foolishness of his own, the kingdom of Israel split into two groups of people: the kingdom of Judah, with Rehoboam as ruler, and the ki...

  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the  word of God." - Rom. 10:17 (NKJV)   Some time back we would occasionally sing a song that went like this:  "Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith. You don't need a whole lot, Just use what you've got. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith." The song was a hit among many including myself, but the theology of the song is a little weak. It is true that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains (see Matt. 17:20 ), but Scripture is clear that we are to grow in our faith.    The Romans verse mentioned above is in relation to faith. As a matter of fact, the whole chapter deals with faith in God, through Jesus Christ, that comes as revelation of the Word of God: i.e., the Bible. Now, focus for a moment on what Paul says in verse 17, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." ...

" And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons."  (Mk. 3:14-15, NASB)     Many of my friends know that we (my wife and I) have embarked on a new venture of raising and breeding long-haired dachshunds. Currently we have, well, enough, and each one has its own personality. Daphne, our little brown female, loves to mow with me. The other dogs will run away once the mower is cranked up, but not Daphne. She runs towards the mower, wanting me to hold her while I work. Yesterday, as I was mowing, she was contently in my arms as I walked and mowed. She never made a sound, and never made a move. She just quietly rested in my arms as I worked. I was amazed at how she was content simply to be with "her master" while he worked.     I could not help recalling the verse above. Jesus most certainly had a task for the disciples to do, and He would give them ...

"There is a way which seems right to a man, but it's end is the way of death." - Prov. 16:25 (NASB)    Solomon's words are so simple, and yet so true. I realize that there is nothing new, in regard to sin. The same problems that have been plaguing men since the beginning are still here today. Yes, they may be dressed up and presented differently, but they are still the same.    Solomon's words speak to our world as much as his own some three thousand years ago. Man, by his own account, does what "seems right" to him. Some have used the phrase "moral relativism", and I think that is appropriate. Society continually changes what is right and what is wrong. There are social, sexual, and spiritual themes that persist today, and are deemed "right" by society, and yet run contrary to the Word of God. Even if a people group, a government, or a church condone them as acceptable behavior, they are still wrong when they run contrary ...

  "...cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also." - Matthew 23:26 (ASV)     Most cars today have an ingenious tool built into their brake systems. As time goes on, the pads on the brake wear down, and will eventually they will begin to squeal. This is a sound that we all are familiar with. Sometimes it hurts your ears, and other times it makes your skin crawl like when running your fingernails across a chalkboard. Believe it or not, that is precisely what your brakes are suppose to do. The squealing is not the problem, but it does let you know that it is time to act before their is a problem. If the squealing is not dealt with, the squeal itself will become part of the problem.    In the passage above Jesus is talking rather sternly to the Pharisees. Pharisees were hypocritical religious leaders who enjoyed pointing out the faults of others, but were often more evil than those they criti...

    "...And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered." (Ezekiel 34:1-5, ASV)     The painting here is entitled, "The Bad Shepherd," by Pieter Brueghel II in the 1600s. If you look closely you can see where it receives its name. The shepherd is running from a wolf who is devouring one of the sheep. If you look closely, there appears to be another in the distance doing the same. It is a pretty good visual illustration of the LORD's scathing words through the prophet Ezekiel. The LORD had not-so-kind words for His ministers, His shepherds, that were responsible for caring for His people, but shrugged off their responsibilities to the sheep for their own interests.    I fully expect to be taken to task over this post, but I cannot remain silent. Several days ago, I posted a blog on alcohol consumption, looking at the OT priests' responsibility, and making appli...

"And also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies." - Ezek. 20:12 (NASB)    (I've had this one sitting "on the desk" for a while).    I love the Old Testament. There are many in the Christian world today who dismiss the OT as outdated and irrelevant, but I am not in that group. There are some issues in the OT that do not apply directly to us (blood sacrifice for example) because Jesus came and died, fulfilling this requirement forever. However, even in those parts of the OT that have been fulfilled, or those for which we are no longer responsible to, we can still learn much in regard to the truths and principles that God established long before Jesus arrived.    The passage above is a prime example of what I am talking about. The sabbath was the holy day for the Jewish people. It was a day in which all regular work was ceased, and the people spent resting and worshipping God....

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than you ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." - Is. 55:9 (NASB)    Many of us enjoy puzzles. Whether we are talking about the 1000 piece variety, Sudoku and crosswords, or games like Chess and Risk, each of these involve thoughtful research and careful planning (some more so than others). We like solving the puzzle. This works great for games, but our attempt to "solve" the unexplained things of God will always come up short. There is a term used in theology called "incomprehensible", and is used in describing God. It means that we are not capable of fully understanding God. Notice the word "fully". Incomprehensible does not mean that we cannot know about God or know Him personally. It means that our understanding of Him will always be partial.     God has chosen to reveal Himself through the Word of God, to humanity, progressively over time. Through the course of s...

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." - Romans 12:1 (NASB)     Worship is not singing, although singing is a part of worship. Worship is not praying, although praying is part of worship. Giving is not worship, and neither is Bible reading, attending church services, witnessing, or any number of activities that we often combine together and call it "worship". So then, what is worship?    If you look at any Bible dictionary you will find a definition that states something along the lines of "homage paid to God." Paul notes above that worship is presenting our lives as a living and holy sacrifice (or offering) to God. In other words, worship is both an attitude and posture of the heart in which a person humbles himself (or herself) before God,  surrendering to His will, His plan, and His desires.    Please do not mi...

"And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, 'Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.'" - Joshua 3:6 (NASB)    There is an old French proverb that states, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." The proverb fits a number of areas in life, but it also fits in relation to faith. In the verse above, Joshua and the Israelites are facing the prospect of crossing the Jordan River to enter the promised land. After forty years of rebellion, they would succeed where their parents had failed, but how would they get across was still unclear. Approximately forty-one years ago the entire nation crosses the Red Sea on dry ground, so perhaps God would work in the same manner.     There certainly are some similarities. We know that the LORD caused the river to dry up before Joshua, just as before Moses at the Red Sea, and they crossed safely. However, there was one major difference. At the Red Sea, the waters parted before th...

"The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways." - Prov. 14:14 (ESV)    Popeye was one of my favorite characters as a child, although I still will NOT eat spinach. Even as a child I got the message that if I ate my veggies I would grow up big and strong like him, rather than like Wimpy who ate cheeseburgers continually.  Popeye had a great catchphrase, "I am what I am and that's all that I am." Pretty good philosophy from a sailor with freakishly-large forearms and no biceps. It also sheds light on this verse of Scripture in Proverbs.     I confess that it took me several times reading this verse, and six different translations, before I got what Solomon was saying. We know that a backslider is full of their own ways. Backsliders are those who walk away from the LORD into their own interests. The problem is Solomon wrote that the good man is filled with ways, just as ...

"Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. - Joshua 1:3 (NASB)    If you look forward from this point in Joshua you will find that Josh and the Israelites are constantly driving out their enemies. At every turn they are taking up their swords and routing another enemy. In some cases, the enemy routes them. Eventually they manage to conquer the Promised Land, but not completely, for they let some of their enemies stay because the fight was too difficult.        This brings me back to the verse above. The LORD told Josh that He was going to "give" the land to him. Give. When I think about someone giving something to me, I envision me reaching out my hand and simply taking hold of what is being given. The LORD said He was giving the land to Josh, he simply had to reach out and take what God was giving. It belonged to His people, but His people would have to fight to claim it.    As...

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 (NASB)  Disclaimer: This post will cause both "Amens" and "How-dare-yous!" You have been warned... Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are not my church. I am not the pastor, for all those on social media sites, nor are they my congregation. However there are those, whom I have the privilege of shepherding, who are on these various social media venues. They see these same things and question me about them. With this in mind, there are a few things I wish to address from a Biblical perspective. As a Disciple of Jesus, as a husband, father, and pastor-teacher, I am deeply disturbed by the "stuff" that seems to permeate among Christians within social media circles. I understand that each of us have our faults and failures, and none of us is perf...

"Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God." - (Job 1:22, NASB)       Job's story is difficult to read for many. We all know that evil exists in this world, but why God would allow it is puzzling. As a matter of fact, there is a whole realm of study, called theodicy, that is devoted to answering the question, "Why does God allow evil?" I'm sorry, but this post is not going to answer that question for you. I want to focus on our response to difficult circumstances. Job lost nearly everything. The Bible records that he had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, 500 female donkeys, and also many servants. In addition, he had seven sons and three daughters. Minus the four servants who escaped disaster to tell Job what had happened, Job lost all of it. Let that sink in for a moment. We often read the Bible so quickly that we miss the impact. Job lost everything of value to him, besides his wife.  His possessions were gone, but even worse, his c...

"Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set." - Prov. 22:28 (NASB) [The original post was back in July, but it bears repeating. This is one the the most read and shared that I have posted to date.  I have update a few items, but the message is the same.]    As I think about it, this verse seems especially appropriate for our world today. We do not think about it too much, but our world is filled with boundaries. Boundaries serve several important tasks. First, they keep things in. There are some pretty amazing creatures to see at a zoo, many of which are extremely dangerous to us. However, because of the barriers erected, we can observe lions and hyena from a safe location. Barriers also keep things out. Again think of the zoo. Imagine sitting down with your family in the designated picnic area, and the keepers allow the hyena to come and join in. Hyena are still dangerous, regardless of which century you live in. Just because there is new ...